1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brush assembly for improving dental hygiene; and, more particularly, to a device wherein a continuous feed of inter-dental brush is achieved by providing a cartridge having a plurality of chambers each housing at least one inter-dental brush therein and being rotatable to a position of alignment with a channel in communication with a nozzle orifice, for selecting a desired inter-dental brush to be fed out of the nozzle orifice for use, excising the used inter-dental brush and facilitating the selection and production of a fresh inter-dental brush upon demand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for cleaning teeth and removing plaque that is accumulated between teeth are well known in the art. Most commonly used devices include electrically powered toothbrushes, dental floss and inter-dental tooth cleaning brushes. These inter-dental toothbrushes are more effective when the gaps between teeth are adequate for the insertion of the inter-dental brush, and the gaps between teeth are readily accessible. In these cases, where the gaps between the teeth are large, use of dental floss in removing plaque is generally ineffective since the floss fails to contact the entire root surface of the teeth. Inter-dental brushes have become popular in recent times, since they effectively remove plaque that has accumulated between teeth and around the entire tooth-gum interface, which is not readily removed using dental floss.
Numerous patents disclose dental floss holders having means to feed new floss, collect used floss and adjust tension in the dental floss. Very few patents relate to inter-dental brushes. These patents require discrete brushes attached to metallic wire designed for insertion into a slot carried by the brush handle. In this manner, replacement is effected for discrete inter-dental brushes that have become worn. None of the patents envision the use of a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use and/or the replacement of a used inter-dental brush with a fresh inter-dental brush from the chambers, yielding a continuous feed stock.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,956 to Cash discloses a dental floss holder. This floss holder has a cavity that holds a spool of dental floss and delivers it to the floss head through a pair of pincers that grip the dental floss. The pincers are opened by application of finger pressure to a button provided on the handle of the floss holder. The '956 patent does not disclose delivery of fresh inter-dental brush; it does not disclose a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,721 to Yasumoto discloses a dental floss holder. The interior of the dental floss holder has a cavity for retaining the dental floss spool. The dental floss is connected to a bifurcated tip, which may be sideways mounted for accessing front teeth, and a bottom-mounting tip for cleaning back teeth. The '721 patent contains no disclosure regarding a brush assembly having cartridge constructed with a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,354 to Loubier et al. discloses a dental floss applicator with improved floss severing and anchoring. This dental floss applicator has a capstan controllable by the user for tensioning the floss and for periodically substituting a fresh floss strand segment for a previously used segment. An improved arrangement is provided, whereby floss is severed, and a floss strand end is anchored to the capstan by continuous movement of the strand. Such disclosure of a dental floss applicator handle having means for cutting the floss does not suggest delivery of inter-dental brush from a cartridge with a plurality of chambers therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,681 to Westbrook et al. discloses a dental flossing device. This device uses a continuous dental floss that is fed from a spool to a dental floss head. Used floss is returned to an adjacent spool and both spools are located in the handle. When the supply of fresh floss on the bobbin is exhausted, the device is discarded. The dental flossing device does not deliver an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,236 to Odneal et al. discloses a dental floss machine. This dental floss machine attaches to a standard electric toothbrush to provide oscillatory motion of the floss. The floss spool is contained within the handle of the machine and the used floss is collected in a separate spool that is on the same shaft as the dental floss supply spool. This dental floss machine does not deliver an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,157 to Mazza discloses a device for supporting and operation a dental floss. The dental floss is contained within the handle. A motor drive is provided to drive the dental floss into a flossing fork and the used floss is collected within the handle. The motor, in addition to providing drive for the dental floss, also provides a vibratory motion imparted by an RF coil. This dental floss device does not deliver an inter-dental brush. It does not provide a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,031 to Santoro discloses a motor-driven apparatus for cleaning spaces between teeth by dental floss. This motor-driven apparatus is operative to clean spaces between teeth with dental floss. A motor drive feeds fresh dental floss, collects used dental floss in the pulley and also provides oscillation to the taut dental floss. This device does not deliver an inter-dental brush. No means are provided for a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,331 to Tanriverdi discloses an automatic locking and adjustable tension controlled dental flosser. This self-contained dental flosser has an adjustable tension control. An auto-tension locking mechanism allows the flosser to operate and advance the floss continuously in one direction by rotating a spool wherein spool gears extend out of the main frame. This flosser uses dental floss and delivers fresh floss, while at the same time removing used floss into two separate spools contained within the handle of the flosser. This flosser does not provide for delivery of an inter-dental brush. It does not have means for a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,495,863 and 7,011,099 to Bergman disclose a flossing device with advancing and tensioning mechanisms. U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0000539 to Bergman discloses a hand held flossing device. The floss is delivered using a one-way ratchet gear from a dental floss spool contained within the handle. After delivery, the used floss is returned back to a shaft that carries the advancing gear, where the used floss is stored. A separate mechanism adjusts the tension of the taut dental floss. This flossing device does not provide for delivery of an inter-dental brush. It contains no means for a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,741 to Choi discloses a toothpick. A spiral wound wire toothpick is coated with a resin. It is attached to a main body for easy grasping of the toothpick. The '741 patent does not disclose delivery of an inter-dental brush by way of a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing inter-dental brushes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,780 to Giacopuzzi discloses a dental floss holder having a wedge actuated brake assembly. The handle of the dental floss holder has a supply real that delivers the dental floss to the holding sections, while used dental floss is returned to a take up reel. A brake assembly adjusts the tension of the dental floss. No disclosure is contained by the '780 patent concerning delivery an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,667 to Sugimoto et al. discloses an oral hygiene instrument. An oral hygiene tool is removably attached to a holder member with a vibration generating means that vibrates the instrument by way of the holder member. This oral hygiene instrument uses an inter-dental cleaning brush or instruments such as tooth brush, a nipple-type gum massaging tool, a gum massaging tool or a floss unit attached to one end of the instrument through a plurality of slits. The instrument has a central cavity that houses a battery and a vibrating generating means. The cavity is closed by a screwed-on end cap with a watertight seal. An inter-dental cleaning brush or other oral hygiene instruments are vibrated. They have to be attached one at a time using the plurality of slots provided. No disclosure is contained within the '667 patent concerning a dedicated instrument for an inter-dental cleaning brush. The hygiene instrument does not provide new brush elements that may be advanced from chambers integrated within a rotating cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,440 to Urso discloses a bite device for driving floss through tight inter-dental gaps. A flossing aid drives a spanned dental floss between the fork of a flossing device. A leaf spring loaded bitable button drives the floss between teeth with small inter-dental space. When the bite is released, the leaf spring pushes the biting element away, permitting flossing operation. No disclosure is contained with the '440 patent concerning an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,149 to Yang discloses a retractable toothpick. An expanding bi-toothpick has dual controls for pushing and extracting. The retractable toothpick is a slender flexible rod inserted into a curved tube attached to a spring-like V shaped element. Moving the V shaped element pushes the inner toothpick rod in and out between the interstices of the teeth, removing occluded food particles. This retractable toothpick is structurally and functionally distinct from an inter-dental brush that may be refreshed from a continuous brush feed stock advanced from chambers integrated within a rotating cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,424 to Lillbacka discloses a method and arrangement for tensioning dental floss, and a device for cleaning teeth. This device and method is operative to hold and tension dental floss. A tensioning element rotates within the device body; a tensioning passage and a guide passage are located at opposite ends of the tensioning element. The tensioning passage and the guide passage are offset by an angle, which allows the floss to be secured when the tensioning element is rotated, without introducing excessive tension in the strand. This device uses a dental floss which may be withdrawn from a spool and tightened. There is no disclosure in the '424 patent concerning an inter-dental brush that may be renewed from a continuous inter-dental brush feedstock advanced from chambers integrated within a rotating cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,949 to Brown discloses a dental care device. This dental care device combines a flossing tool for dispensing dental floss and holding a length of the floss under tension with a double-edged tongue scraper. The dental care device includes an ergonomic handle. The handle includes a tool storage compartment, which may be used to contain dental hygiene tools such as a microbrush and a pick. The tongue scraper is attached to the end of the handle opposite the floss fork and includes a semicircular blade having opposing edges which are formed so that one of the edges is sharper than the other. This dental care device includes a flossing element on one side and a tongue scraper on the other side. Such a device does not operate to suggest an inter-dental brush. The microbrush provided in the tool storage section of the device does not provide the functionality of an inter-dental brush. No disclosure is contained by the '949 patent concerning a replaceable inter-dental brush that is fed out from an inter-dental brush feed stock of a plurality of inter-dental brushes advanced from chambers integrated within a rotating cartridge.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0144747 to Juan discloses an inter-dental brush structure. This inter-dental brush structure comprises a brush shaft installation opening installed on the curved end of the brush handle. A fitting bulge and a joined clip lid are installed on the top surface of the curved end. The joined clip lid has a fitting fillster installed, matching the fitting bulge. The fitting fillister of the joined clip lid can fit the fitting bulge and fix the brush shaft inserted in the brush shaft installation opening by pushing back the rear of the brush shaft and clipping it tight to fix, and in turn enable, the installation and replacement of the brush shaft. The brush handle in formed of two parts connected by an axis so that it can revolve. The connecting surface has several indents and bulges arranged in a circle to fix the location of the revolving handle. The characteristic of this inter-dental brush structure comprises an adjustment to the angle, which is needed for brushing the rear teeth crevices, thereby increasing the convenience of usage. This inter-dental brush accepts new brush elements, which are held in place by a joining clip connected to the rim of the curved surface of the handle. The handle can be rotated to various orientations for inter-dental brushing of hard to reach teeth. The inter-dental brushes are separate elements that are crimped by the joining clip. This structure does not replace inter-dental brushes from a stock of inter-dental brushes advanced from chambers integrated within a rotating cartridge.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0247328 to Shen et al. discloses a dental floss holder. This dental floss holder has a spool of dental floss contained within the handle body, so that the dental floss head can be moved up and down. This dental floss holder does not dispense an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0011211 to Landry discloses a dental floss dispensing and tensioning device. A hand-held dental floss holder, dispenser, floss tensioning, and floss advancing device are disclosed. The handle of the device carries a dental floss spool. Dental floss passes through the fork of the dental flosser and is collected in a collection spool. The floss tension is adjusted by a clutch gear. This '211 device does not does not disclose or suggest use of an inter-dental brush.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0011212 to Achepohl et al. discloses a manual advance dental floss holder. This holder has a spool of dental floss, which is fed to the flossing head. Used floss is collected in a spool within the handle. The dental floss is manually advanced and its tension is manually adjusted. The '212 patent does not use an inter-dental brush.
Foreign Patent Application No. JP 08-056749 to Kageyama et al. discloses a sanitary article holding device. A holding device is provided wherein a sanitary article can be replaced cleanly, and which provides favorable usage operation. The sanitary article is a toothbrush; not an inter-dental brush. The brush is ejected from a holder, but the device does not provide a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
Foreign Patent Application No. JP 2004-313446 to Ikemoto discloses an inter-dental cleaning implement. A brush is attached to a metallic rod and slides through a storage device. The storage device has a slot through which a projecting end of the metallic rod can slide to move the inter-dental brush through an opening in the teeth. The brush is not said to be removable from the metallic rod. It is not delivered from a cartridge having a plurality of chambers housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that is rotated to present a selected inter-dental brush for use.
Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to construct a dental hygiene device, and particularly an inter-dental cleaning brush assembly, there exists a need in the art for facile removal of a worn inter-dental brush and rapid replacement thereof with a fresh inter-dental brush. Ready replacement of worn inter-dental brushes would encourage use of the device, thereby promoting improved oral hygiene even in cases where inter-tooth gaps exist. Particularly, there is a need in the art for an inter-dental brush assembly that achieves a virtually continuous feed of inter-dental brush by providing a cartridge having a plurality of chambers each housing at least one inter-dental brush therein that rotates to align a respective chamber to select the desired inter-dental brush which is fed out of an oral portion for use, enabling excision of the used inter-dental brush and the selection and production of a fresh inter-dental brush upon demand.